Cost of Living Australia: Melbourne Vs Sydney – INFOGRAPHIC

For anyone who is considering making the move to Melbourne or Sydney, it is always a good idea to weigh up the pros and cons of each location. Whether you are searching for job opportunities, a change of lifestyle, or a new climate, researching your future city beforehand will ensure it meets all of your needs. Whatever your criteria may be, it can be agreed that the ‘cost of living’ is something that almost everyone needs to consider when making the decision to move interstate.

So how does the cost of living really compare between Australia’s two most popular cities? Statistics from Numbeo highlight that these two cities have some similarities, however, there are also key differences when it comes to the cost of living.

While the cost of renting in Sydney is higher than Melbourne, there are certain ‘every-day’ items in Melbourne such as bottled water and eggs which come in at a higher cost. On average though, grocery prices in Melbourne are more affordable than those in Sydney, and over time these are the kinds of costs which can add up for families.

The coffee lovers of Melbourne seem to pay an average of fifteen cents more for their daily cup of coffee than Sydneysiders, which adds up to approximately $54 over a year. The cost of dining out in these two cities is a key similarity in the data presented by Numbeo, with the average cost of a three course meal for two people in a mid-range restaurant coming in at $80 in both locations.

If you don’t own a car or you are planning to work in an area that requires public transport, then there are a range of transportation expenses which should be taken into account. Numbeo has found that Melbourne does come in slightly lower for the use of public transport per month, however, the starting base costs of a taxi ride is higher in Melbourne than Sydney.

The infographic below outlines and compares the key cost of living (Australia) differences between Melbourne and Sydney, for January 2017.